Alaska sex offender laws are designed to protect the public but are not the strictest in the US. With a tier sex offender system in place, and a lack of notification and residency restrictions, the Last Frontier gives some chance to lower-level offenders with a clean criminal history, like those convicted for having consensual sexual contact with a minor, to get off the SOR Alaska after a certain period. Scroll down to learn everything about the sex offender laws in Alaska, including registration requirements, work restrictions, travel restrictions, and more — all explained in an easy-to-digest language.
*This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to serve as legal advice. Please consult an attorney if you need to obtain legal advice.
Alaska Sex Offender Registration Laws
Alaska has 3,351 registered sex offenders, which translates into 457 offenders on 100,000 people. Under Sec. 12.63.30 of the Alaska Statutes, a sex offender is an adult or anyone charged as an adult with a sex offense in Alaska or another state.
Alaska has adopted the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and classifies sex offenders into three tiers. Alaska recognizes different types of sex offenses, each with its degree of severity. Depending on their severity, the two primary classifications of sex offenses include sexual assault and sexual abuse of a minor. Despite all efforts to ensure public safety, pedophile statistics place Alaska in the top 10 US states by the rate of child victims of sexual abuse, with 162 victims per 100,000 children.
Tier 1 sex offenders
Tier 1 sex offenders are convicted of less serious crimes and have the lowest likelihood of reoffending. Some examples of crimes include lewd behavior and receiving nudes from a minor. Alaska sex offender registration laws demand that tier 1 offenders register for 15 years and update their information and photo yearly. If they keep a clean record, tier 1 offenders have a chance to get off the Alaska SOR after ten years.
Tier 2 sex offenders
Tier 2 sex offenders are convicted of a sex crime that requires a minimum of one year in prison. These crimes include:
- Production and distribution of child pornography
- Sex trafficking of a minor
- Engaging in sexual performance with a minor
- Any consequential sex offense committed by a tier 1 sex offender.
Alaska sex offender registry laws for tier 2 offenders demand 25 years of registration with twice-a-year frequency.
Tier 3 sex offenders
Tier 3 sex offenders are the most serious sex offenders, with the highest likelihood of reoffending. They are convicted of crimes punishable by more than a year in prison, which include:
- Sexual abuse of a minor younger than 13
- Aggravated sexual abuse
- Kidnapping a minor
- Any subsequent sex offense committed by a level 2 offender.
Tier 3 sex offenders must report quarterly and stay on the Alaska sex offenders database for life unless the offender is a juvenile. Juveniles can get off the registry after 25 years if they maintain a clean record. According to the current Alaska state sex offender laws, only sex offenders who have committed crimes after the first of January 1999 are subject to quartal registration.
According to Alaska sex offender laws, sex offenders are obligated to register with the local registration office in the following timeframes:
- By the next working day after conviction, if the offender is not imprisoned at the time of conviction
- Within 30 days before release from a correctional facility in Alaska
- By the next working day of coming to the state
- By the next working day, if there are any changes in the previously reported information such as an address, electronic mail, internet identifiers, etc.
Sex offenders must report the required information to the Department of Corrections if they are still incarcerated, the nearest municipal police department, or the Alaska State Trooper post. These institutions have five working days to send the information to the Department of Public Safety, which then submits the information to the National Sex Offender Registry. Alaska sexual offenders register with the following information:
- Full legal name, including aliases and online identifiers (names they use in chat rooms, social media, etc.)
- Date of birth
- Address
- Employment information
- Driver’s license number, vehicle identification number, and description of all vehicles they have access to
- Physical description, including identifying features like tattoos, and scars
- Current photo
- Fingerprints
- Previous criminal history
- A statement that shows whether the offender has undergone treatment for a mental or personality disorder for the offense they are required to register.
Most of this information is made public through the Alaska sex offenders map, which also includes the offender’s criminal history. Unlike in some states, offenders are not charged a registration fee.
Removal From the Sex Offenders Registry in Alaska
Sex offenders convicted for a lower-level offense as defined by AS 12.63.100 are eligible for removal by submitting proof of unconditional discharge. Sex offenders sentenced for a more severe crime or two or more crimes are required to register for life and can’t get off the Alaska sex offender registry map. For offenses that have occurred before the first of January 1999, sex offenders convicted for a single crime are eligible for removal after completing the mandatory 15-years registration period. For offenses that have occurred after the first of January 1999, only sex offenders convicted of non-aggravated crimes have the chance to get removed.
The offender needs to submit a Proof of Unconditional Discharge form along with signatures from the Department of Corrections or the Court System certifying the form. The unconditional discharge information could be obtained through the Department of Corrections or the court of conviction in Alaska or any other jurisdiction where the offender was convicted.
Many US states don’t allow sex offenders to ever get off the registry. While public safety should come first, there are indeed offenders convicted of lower-level offenses like consensual sex with an underage person who isn’t dangerous to society. These people would have much higher chances to contribute to the community and live a normal life if their name wasn’t on the registry because background check companies store and report information about their status, making it challenging to find a job, housing, and even make friends.
Alaska Sex Offender Notification Laws
Sex offenders in Alaska are not subject to community notification. Neither sex offenders nor the local police is obligated to notify the public of the presence of an offender in their area. Instead, they can perform an Alaska sex offender registry search or look anyone up using people finder websites for more comprehensive background checks.
Alaska Sex Offender Residency Restrictions
Although sexual assault statistics show that Alaska has the highest rate of rapes per 100,000 (155), this state doesn’t impose residency restrictions on sex offenders. While many states forbid sex offenders from living together or within a certain distance of schools, daycare facilities, parks, and other places where children frequently gather, the Alaska state sex offender residency laws make it a bit easier for sex offenders to find stable housing.
Even without specific Alaska sex offender proximity laws, sex offenders can rarely establish residence in better areas because almost every landlord conducts tenant screening. The sex offender status is always a red flag, and they prefer to search for tenants with a clean criminal history.
States with specific residency restrictions make it even harder for offenders to find stable housing and create an uneven distribution of criminals in poor neighborhoods where landlords don’t typically bother to run criminal background checks.
Alaska Sex Offender Work Restrictions
Sexual offenders in Alaska can work anything they want, but they hardly have any chance with employers that perform employment background checks. They typically have to accept lower-paying or less desirable jobs to make ends meet. Their status is alarming for most employers, especially for positions that involve contact with children or people incapable of standing up for themselves.
Alaska Sex Offender Travel Restrictions
Incarceration statistics show that sex offenders frequently bounce because they face difficulty finding jobs. Alaska offers a lot of seasonal positions during the tourist and fishing season, which attracts a flow of workers looking to make some extra cash.
Sex offenders may visit Alaska, but they must follow specific rules. Visitors and non-residents that intend to stay in Alaska for less than 30 days have to fill out a Temporary Presence Form and respect the following rules:
- Send the Temporary Presence Form via mail, email or fax before arriving in Alaska or within three days of arrival.
- Compliance with the sex offender laws in their state of residence
- Stay in Alaska for fewer than 30 days.
Non-resident sex offenders who intend to stay in Alaska for more than 30 days are not allowed to use the Temporary Presence form for notification. Instead, they must visit the local Alaska Sex Offender/Child Kidnapper Central Registry office for a complete sex offender registration within one working day from arriving in the state.
Alaska sexual offenders who want to travel internationally should report their plans via the Notification of International Travel form. This form should be emailed to the US Department of Justice. The local sex offender registration office should receive a copy. Offenders should also report a change form with the non-US address where they intend to reside during their international travels.
Failure to Register on the Alaska SOR Penalties
According to Alaska sex offender laws, failure to report as a sex offender in Alaska, including failure to update any changes in the information, as required by law, is a Class A misdemeanor or a Class C felony, depending on the circumstances and previous crimes.
